New Look has always been a nice compromise between Dorothy Perkins and Topshop. It's neither too staid nor intimidatingly edgy, and cheaper than both. It often seems to sell more flattering versions of Topshop's key pieces, which is useful if you like a trend enough to wear it for a season but not enough to try its weirder high-fashion incarnation. New Look seems more friendly. Last year, Alexa Chung fronted New Look's ad campaign as it tried to gain credibility. Nobody sells clothes like rock star dating "it" girls, and Kate Moss was doing very well for Topshop.

However, I'm not sure it really worked. Chung was quietly dropped and replaced by Kimberley Walsh, who better represents New Look's appeal – approachable, mainstream, fun.

That said, I still slightly prefer Topshop. It's very popular with teenagers, and if you don't mind wearing exactly the same thing as everybody else on the high street then it's perfect. Okay, so I was slightly sniffy about its more eccentric collections, but the knitwear and denim is versatile and durable. It's quite overpriced, but the sales are usually good, if you get there early enough.

Urban Outfitters is similar, but too expensive. While I really like Miss Selfridge, I can see that it's quite twee, but a lot of people I know seem to adore Abercrombie and Fitch. I've heard the quality is very good, and they sell bags with naked torsos on them – which is apparently a plus point, but I've never been able to stomach the stores. I'm not sure if this is typical, but the last one I visited was covered in murals of muscular, blonde youths hiking, wrestling, playing polo ... it was like Gap imagined by Leni Riefenstahl.

Generally, I don't favour any one brand. Most shops sell at least one item that I'm willing to buy, if not wear. However, if you have time, you can find the same clothes on ebay for much less and avoid going to stores altogether.